10^th Conference of the Mediterranean Neuroscience Society (MNS)
Chania Crete, Greece, June 7-11, 2025
Chairs: Prof. Christina Dalla and Dr. Ali Jahanshahi

Program of the conference: link
Abstract book of the conference: link
Convin’s Report: link
Youtube Video: link

The 10th Mediterranean Neuroscience Society (MNS) Conference was held in Platanias/Chania, on the island of Crete, Greece, from June 7th to June 11th, 2025. Chania, the second-largest city on Crete, with its stunning Mediterranean landscape and rich blend of modern, traditional, and ancient cultural heritage, provided an ideal setting for the meeting. The conference took place at the Minoa Palace Resort in Platanias, located by the serene seaside just 10 km from the city center. The event was a great success, as it brought together 480 participants from an exceptionally broad international community, reflecting the truly global reach of the MNS. Among them, 60 participants were from Greece, showcasing strong engagement from the local neuroscience ecosystem. The conference featured a substantial early-career presence, including 45 post-doctoral researchers, 58 PhD students, and 22 Greek PhD students or post-docs, highlighting its commitment to supporting young scientists. Many early-career attendees, particularly from under-resourced Mediterranean regions, participated thanks to IBRO-supported travel grants, which significantly enhanced the inclusivity of the meeting.

Participants represented a rich diversity of national backgrounds, with scientists attending from Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, Morocco, the United States of America, Japan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Israel, Serbia, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Croatia, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Denmark, Malta, Brazil, India, Chile, and Slovenia. This impressive geographic spread underscored the growing international recognition of the MNS as a platform for Mediterranean and global neuroscience.

The scientific program was multidisciplinary and comprehensive, featuring keynote lectures, symposia, workshops, poster sessions, and dedicated early-career activities, including the IBRO/MNS Early Career Session and hands-on training workshops. These sessions fostered high-quality scientific exchange, skill development, and networking across career stages and national boundaries.

Κeynote Speakers

As highlighted in the Scientific Programme, the 10th Mediterranean Neuroscience Society Conference in Chania featured an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers: Giovanni Marsicano, DVM, PhD (NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France), Margaret M. McCarthy, PhD (Distinguished University Professor, Director of UM-MIND, James and Carolyn Frankel Deans Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA), Panayiota Poirazi, PhD (Secretary General of FENS; Research Director, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas (FORTH), Crete, Greece), and Shubha Tole, Professor (President-elect of IBRO; Tata Institute, Mumbai, India).



Special Events

ALBA Network Special Session
The conference featured a dedicated session organized in collaboration with the ALBA Network, titled “Building resilience to sustain EDI efforts in neuroscience.” This session addressed the growing challenges faced in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within the scientific community, particularly in the context of shifting political and institutional landscapes. Through practical examples and discussion, the speakers highlighted strategies to strengthen resilience, sustain EDI initiatives, and prevent burnout among researchers and advocates. Contributions from Francesca Cirulli, Carmen Sandi, and Shubha Tole provided valuable insights into promoting inclusive practices, supporting underrepresented scientists, and fostering long-term, meaningful change in neuroscience.
https://www.alba.network/alba-ibro-keynote-mns-2025



Distinguished Lectures
The conference featured a series of distinguished lectures delivered by leading experts, including George Paxinos, Ioannis Bakogiannis, and Nikos Hatzakis. Their presentations offered cutting-edge perspectives on brain mapping, neurovascular dynamics, and interdisciplinary approaches such as quantum biology in neuroscience, enriching the scientific program with innovative insights.


Women’s Brain & Healthy Aging
The Women’s Brain & Healthy Aging session, organized in collaboration with the MENTOR – Healthy Ageing Institute and the Hellenic Initiative for Women’s Brain Health (HIWOMB), focused on sex-specific aspects of brain health and the unique vulnerabilities women face across the lifespan. The session highlighted critical issues such as the higher prevalence of depression and Alzheimer’s disease in women, as well as the impact of hormonal transitions, stress, and social roles.
Chaired by Prof. Antonis Politis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, HIWOMB Scientific Coordinator), the session included contributions from Mrs. Elena Metaxa (HIWOMB Founding Member), who presented the initiative, and Prof. Christina Dalla (HIWOMB Scientific Consultant), who discussed the role of sex and gender in brain research. The event emphasized awareness, prevention, early detection, and the promotion of evidence-based lifestyle interventions to support healthy brain ageing in women.

MedNeuroscience Satellite Event
The MedNeuroscience Satellite Event, organized in collaboration with the Community Pharmacists Association of Heraklion (CPAH), explored the evolving role of community pharmacists in delivering advanced care for neuropsychiatric disorders. The session focused on innovative educational strategies and next-generation therapeutics, including precision medicine, digital health, and AI.
Chaired by Prof. Christina Dalla (President of MNS) and Aristotelis Skountakis (President of CPAH), the session featured Dr. Marios Spanakis, who presented the “Advanced Training in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Community Pharmacy” program, and Prof. Ioannis Charalampopoulos, who discussed future directions in pharmacological education and research. The event highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, research institutions, and healthcare professionals in strengthening community-based care.

ISN Special Session – Global Collaborations
The ISN Special Session, organized by the Italian Stress Network (ISN), addressed the theme “Navigating Stress, Gender, and Cultural Diversities: Building Inclusive Careers in Neuroscience.” The session emphasized the importance of integrating cultural, gender, and societal perspectives into stress research and scientific careers.
The session opened with remarks by Patrizia Campolongo and Marco Andrea Riva (Founders and Presidents of ISN), followed by a multidisciplinary panel discussion featuring Christina Dalla, George Chrousos, Carmen Sandi, Francesca Cirulli, Olfa Masmoudi, Ali Jawaid, and Youssef Anouar. The discussion highlighted global and regional challenges, including gender disparities, cultural barriers, and the need for inclusive scientific environments, and concluded with an interactive exchange with the audience.

EJN Presentation – Meet the Journal
The European Journal of Neuroscience (EJN) session provided participants with valuable insights into the scientific publishing process. Delivered by Prof. Yoland Smith (Co-Editor-in-Chief of EJN), the presentation covered manuscript handling, peer review, and strategies for preparing rigorous and impactful research articles.
The session also addressed key topics such as data transparency, reproducibility, and open science, while highlighting EJN’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the editorial and review process. Participants gained practical guidance on both publishing and contributing as reviewers within the neuroscience community.



IBRO–MNS Early Career Session
The IBRO–MNS Early Career Session, organized by Tatiana Morais (YMNS, ICVS, Portugal), featured a round table discussion on “Challenges and Opportunities in Neuroscience: Career Development.” The session brought together Tatiana Morais, Giuseppe Di Giovanni (IBRO Secretary-General), Shubha Tole (IBRO President-Elect), Nuno Dinis Alves, Ines Elbini, and Taoufik Ghrari.
The discussion addressed key topics including career mobility, transitions between academia and industry, mentorship, funding challenges, and the development of leadership and resilience skills. The session provided early-career researchers with practical advice and fostered meaningful dialogue on navigating scientific careers.

Workshop: Open-Source Machine Learning for Behavioral Quantification
This hands-on workshop, led by Matthew Whiteway, Stephanie Miller, and Charalampos Brakatselos, introduced participants to modern computational tools for behavioral analysis. The session focused on the integration of Lightning Pose for pose estimation and VAME (Variational Animal Motion Embedding) for unsupervised behavioral segmentation.
Participants gained practical experience in building reproducible pipelines for analyzing behavioral data, using accessible tools and workflows that do not require advanced programming skills. The workshop highlighted the growing importance of open science and machine learning approaches in neuroscience research.

MAP-TrainMyBrain Workshop: Stress, Resilience & Neuroplasticity
The MAP-TrainMyBrain workshop, led by Prof. Tracey Shors (Rutgers University), combined scientific insight with experiential practice to explore stress, resilience, and neuroplasticity. The session introduced participants to a structured program integrating mental and physical activities designed to enhance brain health.
Through guided meditation, mindful movement, and reflective practice, participants experienced practical strategies to support well-being and cognitive resilience. The workshop emphasized the role of neuroplasticity in adapting to stress and promoting mental health in both personal and professional contexts.



Organising committee of the 10th MNS conference



Prof Christina Dalla, University of Athens, Greece, co Chair
Dr. Ali Jahanshahi, MUMC+, The Netherlands, co-Chair
Prof Giuseppe Di Giovanni, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy, Past- President
Prof. Youssef Anouar, INSERM, France, President-elect
Prof Khalid El Lali, IAV Hassan II, Morocco, General Secretary
Prof Jacques Noël, Université Côte d'Azur Nice, France, Treasurer
Dr Liana Fattore, IN-CNR, Italy, Honorary Member
Prof Marc Landry, University of Bordeaux, France, Honorary Member
Dr. Luisa Pinto, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, ICVS), University of Minho, Portugal, member
Prof. Eleonora Palma, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, Member
Assoc. Prof. Eva de Lago Femia, University of Madrid, Spain, member
Prof. Francisco Eliseo Olucha Bordonau, Universitat Jaume I, Spain, member
Dr. Ioannis Sotiropoulos, NCSR "Demokritos", Greece, member
Dr. Lucy Privitera, Queen Mary University of London, Malta Campus, member
Assoc. Prof. Nermeen Zakaria Abuelezz, MUST University, Egypt, member
Assoc. Prof. Sandra Vaz, FMUL and iMM, Lisbon, Portugal, member
Prof. Taoufik Ghrairi, El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia, member
Assist. Prof. Zakaria Ouhaz, Institut Supérieur des Professions Infirmière et techniques de la santé, Marrakech, Morocco, member
Dr. Driss Boussaoud, CNRS, France, Honorary Member

Scientific committee of the 10th MNS conference

Dr. Ali Jahanshahi, MUMC+, The Netherlands, co-Chair
Prof Christina Dalla, University of Athens, Greece, co Chair
Prof Giuseppe Di Giovanni, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy, Past- President
Prof. Youssef Anouar, INSERM, France, President-elect
Prof Khalid El Lali, IAV Hassan II, Morocco, General Secretary
Prof Jacques Noël, Université Côte d'Azur Nice, France, Treasurer
Dr Liana Fattore, IN-CNR, Italy, Honorary Member
Dr. Driss Boussaoud, CNRS, France, Honorary Member
Prof Marc Landry, University of Bordeaux, France, Honorary Member
Dr. Luisa Pinto, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, ICVS), University of Minho, Portugal, member
Prof. Eleonora Palma, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, Member
Assoc. Prof. Eva de Lago Femia, University of Madrid, Spain, member
Prof. Francisco Eliseo Olucha Bordonau, Universitat Jaume I, Spain, member
Dr. Ioannis Sotiropoulos, NCSR "Demokritos", Greece, member
Dr. Lucy Privitera, Queen Mary University of London, Malta Campus, member
Assoc. Prof. Nermeen Zakaria Abuelezz, MUST University, Egypt, member
Assoc. Prof. Sandra Vaz, FMUL and iMM, Lisbon, Portugal, member
Prof. Taoufik Ghrairi, El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia, member
Assist. Prof. Zakaria Ouhaz, Institut Supérieur des Professions Infirmière et techniques de la santé, Marrakech, Morocco, member
Prof. George Panagis, University of Crete, Greece, member
Assist. Prof. Nikolaos Kokras, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, member
Assist. Prof. Harris Alexopoulos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, member
Dr. Alexia Polissidis, Deree, The American College of Greece, member
Dr. Panos Politis, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Greece, member
Dr. Ourania Semelidou, INSERM, France, member

Local organising committee of the 10th MNS conference

Prof Christina Dalla, University of Athens, Greece, co Chair
Dr. Ioannis Sotiropoulos, NCSR "Demokritos", Greece, member
Prof. George Panagis, University of Crete, Greece, member
Assist. Prof. Nikolaos Kokras, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, member
Assist. Prof. Harris Alexopoulos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, member
Dr. Alexia Polissidis, Deree, The American College of Greece, member
Dr. Panos Politis, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Greece, member
Dr. Ourania Semelidou, INSERM, France, member

Travel grant awardees

IBRO

1. Hiba Midouane, Female, Morocoo
2. Amel Abidi, Female, Tunisia
3. Tatiana Morais, Female, Portugal
4. Ehsan Ahmadipour, Male, Iran
5. Samah Shahen-Zoabi, Female, Israel
6. Magdalena Białon, Female, Poland

MNS

1. Ibtihel Chatti, Female, Tunisia
2. Iben Daoudi Hanane, Female, Morocco

Elsevier

1. Amel Boulouda, Female, France
2. Vittoria Torre, Female, Italy
3. Yasmine Limam, Female, Tunisia
4. Maria A Tsiarli, Female, Cyprus

Oral

1. Dr. Giulia Federica Mancini, Italy – Neuroscience Research
   Title: The impact of early-life stress on vulnerability and resilience to psychiatric disorders later in life
2. Mr. Haijun He, Greece – Brain and Environment
   Title: Lactate mitigates the phenotype of Alzheimer's disease through the AMPK-RAB3A signaling pathway to promote mitophagy and synaptic function

Praise Oral Prizes

1. Ms. Eirini Maria Tzermpou, Greece
   Title: Dynamic metabolic profiling of microglia in an acute murine viral model of G2019S LRRK2 Parkinson’s disease

Poster Awards

1. Ms. Elba Molpeceres, France – Brain Organoids
   PP212: Involvement of the direct subthalamic nucleus – M1 cortex pathway in parkinsonian motor and nociceptive impairments
2. Mr. Marwen Ben Fdilen, Tunisia – MCN Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
   PP221: Anti-tumoral effect of Octadecaneuropeptide combined with 5-Fluorouracil on glioblastoma cell line U87 – MG
3. Mr. Oliver Nagy, Hungary – Neuroscience Methods
   PP228: Investigating a newly-discovered extrathalamic excitatory pathway of posterior thalamic nucleus
4. Dr. Ameya Kasture, Austria – Neurobiology of Disease
   PP313: Exocyst Assembly is Essential for the Proper Membrane Targeting of the Dopamine Transporter in Drosophila melanogaster

Praise Poster Prizes

1. Ms. Yasmine Limam, Tunisia
   PP314: Neurotoxic impact of Glyphosate and its metabolites : A novel analytical and cellular approach
2. Ms. Eleana Solakidou, Greece
   PP130: Sex Differences and Intrasexual Variability in Oxycodone-Induced Alterations of Brain Stimulation Reward and Neurochemistry in Sprague-Dawley Rats

PHOTOGALLERY